Falling Stars
by fishiee
Summary: I live in the shadow of my older sister. I am second best, even when I try so hard, but I'm never good enough. So I gave up, and it felt good- I'm Amelia, Pepper Potts is my sister. Never heard of me? I'm not surprised. But now I'm staying for the summer and you will know my name.
1. Prologue

PROLOGUE

Pepper Potts tried to play it cool, though she felt far from chill with the news she was about to give Tony Stark. She sat in cut offs and a flannel shirt. Her ginger hair was in a high ponytail. This is needed to be mentioned because she'd spent the past hour sitting next to Tony nervously pulling at her locks or popping a button of her shirt in and out, or even playing with the strings falling from the ends of her shorts, and it was getting on Tony's nerves.

He let out a huge sigh and paused the television, she couldn't even remember what they had been watching. "Are you pregnant?"

"_What_?" She nearly shrieked. That was _so not _what was on her mind.

He shrugged. "You're driving me insane. You've got something to tell me and you're nervous about it. _Stop that._" He added, exasperated. He grabbed her hands, stopping them in mid-button popping.

"You know me so well." Pepper said with a shaky laugh. How could she even put what she just agreed to in words?

"Pep, what's going on?" Tony replied, but she stayed quiet, trying to form the right words in her mind.

"C'mon." He could understand, she thought. Maybe he wouldn't mind.

"Pepper." He was going to say no, she thought this time. He won't be happy about this.

Heck, she wasn't happy about it.

"Virginia Potts, what has got you so worried?" The use of her real name jerked her wide eyes up to him.

"What, are you _dying_?" He asked, trying to think of the only reason she should be freaked like this.

"No, no- I mean, yes," Tony's eyes widened, "But no. God, Tony, not like that. I meant, one day, yes, I will die, so yeah, I am dying, but I'm not dying_ right now_, per se-"

"I get it, all right. Just tell me what's going on." He said. He leaned back and folded his arms, feeling slightly irritated she was drawing it out like this. Tony was the dramatic one, not her.

"My sister."

He paused, searching his mind for the knowledge she had a sister. Maybe a faint mention, or more so complaint, on a day off she had where she went to go visit family. "Is _she _dying?"

Pepper closed her eyes and with a sigh that was more like a groan, "No."

Tony waved a hand, signalling to her to continue on.

"She's coming for the summer. Here." Pepper finally admitted, though more to her folded hands than to Tony.

There was silence. Then, "You mean, getting an apartment downtown?" Atleast, that's what he hoped she meant, though he had a feeling it wasn't.

"No-"

"Because you can't possibly mean here." Tony interupted her., "There's clearly not enough room for one more here. Have you seen my place?"

"Tony, Mel got in trouble and needs-"

"I'm not playing juvie for some kid." He broke her off again, and Pepper pursed her lips.

"She's not 'some kid', she's my _sister_. Things have finally settled down-"

"Yeah, and I wanted to settle down with _you_-"

"And Mel's gone off the deep end and my parents are crap at being parents-"

"They did a good job on you, and you should just be with me this-"

"This is a change of pace! California is so different than Virginia-"

"Pepper, a kid running around-wait, is that why you're named Virginia, because of the state?"

"No," She snapped, "It was my grandmother's name. And she's seventeen."

"Your grandmother is seventeen?" He replied, then he pressed his fingers to his forehead. Truth was, he didn't feel ready for this. He was still freaked over almost losing her and the fact there were things bigger than his Iron Man and still plagued with anxiety and he didn't want some seventeen year old girl to witness it. He didn't even want Pepper to witness it.

But when Pepper froze with a fierce look on her face, Tony knew there was no way around this.

Amelia Potts was coming to town.


	2. Chapter 1

**Hello my lovelies! Thank you thank you thank you to the eight followers I have! Now, this is kind of just a side fanfiction. My main one is 'The Silhouette' and I want to focus most of my time on that one, but sometimes my brain can take only so much of Evelyn's tortured mind and that's where this one comes in! Amelia's on the more opposite side of Evelyn and it's fun to think about. :) **

**The title, Falling Stars, is a song by David Archuleta and I think it's a good song to take a listen to, to get a better feel of the story. ;) Hope you enjoy! **

CHAPTER ONE

So my sister ran from my parents... to find another place like my parent's. Tony Stark's place was huge, hi teched, and had no character to it. It's not _lived_ in, it's not _loved_. It's just a place to be, like a doctor's office. Maybe not even that, because even places like that have rips in the seat cushions or a mess of building blocks in the corner.

Tony Stark, sat on the couch, absentmindedly shaking a drink in his hand. The color, and hearing rumors of the man, suggested the glass was filled with alcohol.

Ginny smoothed her skirt as she said, "Tony." He looked at her, thoughtful eyes clearing, and stood up. "Tony," She addressed him again, "This is my sister, Amelia. Amelia, Tony."

Tony gave me a once-over. "How do you do." He said to me, flat, looking so impossibly far from excited over the fact I was there.

"Wonderful to meet your acquaintance." I replied with equal amount of deadpan.

"All right. Good, this is good." Ginny looked a little relieved, over what I'm not sure. Maybe because we haven't murdered each other yet.

"Ginny-" I started, because, seriously, what she said warranted sarcasm, but she cut me off.

"Pepper," My sister snapped. Then added, as if to soften her outburst,"I'm, uh, more commonly known as Pepper now."

I froze for a second, hating that it felt like a personal insult she didn't want to be Virginia anymore. "Bet you can't wait to get married, huh. Then you won't even have Potts in your name, and you won't have any relation to us at all." I turned to Tony, "You know, you are one of the first guys-"

"Amelia-" _Pepper_ exclaimed, no doubt to tell me to shut up in some polite way. She has long lost her Southern twang and replaced it with some more sophisticated accent. I also hated how my country dialect sounded fumbly against hers.

"Mel," I cut off immediately, then paused, "I'm, _uh_, more commonly known as Mel now."

"Ya kind of walked into that one, Pep." Tony said unhelpfully. My eyes found him pouring himself another drink from behind the bar. She pursed her lips, and I smiled inwardly, as it looked like she was counting to 10 in her mind.

I appraised the bar again. Wouldn't it make a grand entrance to the Stark Mansion by having them wake up to an empty cabinet and a drunk girl?

Pepper pressed a hand to her forehead, as if to relieve a headache. I was finding it easier to think of her as Pepper, because, to be honest, she wasn't even around long enough when I was a kid to be Ginny. It was just her name, as like Tony is to me. She was 23 when I was born, so I've had a couple weeks with her, maybe a month? She was a tough act to follow. I never knew her and yet I was expected to be like her.

"Up the stairs, last door on the right. That's your room. Full bath. I'm thinking that's all you need to know." Tony said, walking over to Pepper, handing her an extra glass he made. She took it graciously and allowed her boyfriend to turn her back to me and guide her away. I grabbed my luggage and followed Tony's direction to my new room.

Not only was the house not loved, neither was I. Nothing changes coming here from living with my parents.

In my room, I flopped on the bed, letting out a Chewbacca growl. The one person I was expected to be, but didn't know how to be, was the person I'm now living with. This summer better go by fast. Or I better do something bad enough for her to kick me out. That seems the more likely plan. I think about all the trouble I can get into here in Malibu. The list is practically endless. I won't be here long. I won't even unpack, I decided defiantly. Though that left me with nothing to do and I spent the next couple of hours between laying on my bed, sitting at the wooden desk in my room, and stalking my ex friends on Facebook.

I boarded my flight here earlier in the day, around 1pm. Between the flight and finding my sister and the drive, I didn't get here till past 9pm. I have a 3 hour time change, leaving me now at 4am Cali time, 1am Virginia time, in pajamas, and not expecting sleep anytime soon. And deciding it was time to break into Tony's liquor cabinet.

My barefeet padded softly against the thick carpet. The mansion was quiet and I figured everyone must be sleeping. This will be fun, I grinned to myself.

There was one thing I didn't expect, and I didn't know how I could of expected it. Tony was wrong in thinking that all I needed to do was find my room. For when my feet first stepped behind the bar, an omnipresent British voice spoke:

_You are not authorized to access this area, Amelia Potts. _

And I screamed so loud, backing away so fast I tripped over my own feet. I landed hard on my butt, searching for the body the voice belonged to. I was unsuccessful in finding it and I was actually relieved to find Tony climbing up the stairs and into the room.

"Who the heck was that?" I demanded, immediately.

_Sir, Miss Potts was behind the bar._

"You hear that, right?" I asked, feeling a little wary he wasn't reacting to the voice.

Then Tony bursted into laughter. He doubled over, laughing so hard he gasped for breath. I stood up then, and pursed my lips, clearly not amused.

"You look so much like Pepper right now!" Tony exclaimed, still controlled by uncontrollable laughter. With his eyes barely opened and watering, he didn't notice mine widened. No one has ever, _ever_, said that about us. Me with my lanky body, her model one. My dull blonde hair, her bright red. My muddy brown eyes, and then her beautiful blue. No one has ever said that to me. Normally I'm told how much of a failure I am compared to her.

I stayed quiet, waiting, and finally he started to calm down. "Oh goodness me, Mel, you made my day. Maybe you being here won't be so bad after all." Then he finally added, "That's Jarvis. He's my friend-hehehe." And then he's lost in another fit of giggles. I turn my back and walk away.

"Oh come on!" He called after me, still laughing and gasping for breath, but I ignored him and made my way back to my room.

I climbed into bed and noted how soft and silky my comforter was. I felt a twing of disappointment- in myself. I liked it, and I wasn't suppose to. I sighed and closed my eyes, waiting for sleep to overcome me.


	3. Chapter 2

**Finally got the laptop fixed! Well. Actually, we took the hard drive from my laptop that refused to turn on and put it into the family laptop that also refused to turn on, and then it didn't refuse to turn on. I could make so many jokes about it... ;) but good news! I've officially outlined the *drumroll* ... Falling Stars trilogy! Yup, you will get three stories of the epic heartbreaking love story that is Mel and Loki, and really that's not it! A spinoff, aka the Safe & Sound series, is in the mix as well. See, in my time off I've still been busy! :) I've also created a playlist to go with my story. Kind of like a soundtrack. Idk if y'all would be interesting in knowing the songs, so let me know. Oh and I announced the titles of all the FS trilogy and two of the S&S series in my profile. I fell like the energizer bunny high on sugar with how excited I am over this news - Idk if you could tell. :P Might also be because I just finished off my Halloween candy...**

**Anyways I can't wait to write this chapter! I've written it in my head probably like 500 times the past couple of weeks. Here we go!**

CHAPTER TWO

The creepy British voice woke me up before I even got the chance to dream.

_Your presence is requested downstairs, Miss Potts._

"Nooo!" I moaned, pulling my blanket closer. I didn't even look at the clock, I didn't care what time it was. I was a silk island made of warmth.

_I'm afraid I must insist._

"I'm afraid I must deny." I mumbled sleepily. I squinted one eye over at the bedside table, finding the clock. 6:00am. Heck no.

_Then I'm afraid I must get Mister Stark involved. _

"Go right ahead." Then I had an idea to make Jarvis shut up. "No wait- I'll be right there."

_Thank you, Miss Potts._

Still wrapped in blankets, I slid off my bed and made my way to the door. Then I turned around and flopped back on my bed.

I waited for him to say something, but there was silence.

Success. I curled up in a ball and my eyes started to flutter shut again.

_I don't see you coming. I will get Mister Stark._

Fail.

A chill went down my spine as well as some bad words through my mind.

I threw my covers off me in a huff and made my way downstairs.

"Okay. This_ Jarvis_. Does he have a camera in my room? If so, I think I can sue." I announced, walking in the diningroom. Tony was sitting at the table, reading the newspaper, and Pepper walked in a second later with a stack of papers.

"Oh good, you're here." My sister said to me, but I ignored her. My eyes were still on Tony.

He waved a nonchalant hand before turning the page. "He's an artificial intelligence."

I paused, hating him more by the second. Or hating myself I didn't get what he said. "So?"

"_Soo_ he's not real."

"But-"

"It's just 'cause I'm a genius." Tony flashed a smile at me, as he put down his newspaper.

I crossed my arms. Giving him a look, I opened my mouth to say some smart comment, but Pepper broke in then. "Okay, Mel. We just wanted to tell you we'll be out late tonight and we'll be leaving soon. There's some business party we have to attend." She sighed; obviously she'd rather be anywhere but there tonight.

Is this really what they woke me up for at 6am? "You couldn't have left me a note, or even a freaking text message? I'd only been asleep, what, two hours. And you would know, Tony, you were down here too!" I added, glaring at Tony. Pepper swung her head over to him and he glared back at me.

"Are you not sleeping again?" Pepper asked him, sounding agitated but really trying to cover her concern. It wasn't working.

"More so _trying_ not to sleep again." Tony corrected, sounding rather defeated. I felt confused on the turn our conversation had taken.

Pepper pursed her lips. "Why didn't tell me you were having nightmares again?"

I froze, feeling awkward now. I tried to think of a way to get out of the room, because clearly this was something I shouldn't be a part of. I didn't want to know Tony was having nightmares. It wasn't my place. But about what though? It doesn't mean I wasn't curious, but I drew lines.

"Well, you see-" Tony started, and I could practically hear the wheels turning in his head to think of a good excuse.

But because I learned something I wasn't suppose to, I would take one second to be nice to him. "Is that all you need to tell me? 'Cause seriously, I'm jetlagged." I cut him off, rudely, and I ignored the relieved look he shot me.

"For, ah, now, you're not allowed to leave this place." Pepper answered hesitantly.

"Yeah, Jarvis is babysitting you." Tony snickered. I regret being nice to him.

My face turned stony. "_What_?"

"You have to earn these privileges back. You have to earn our trust. You can't forget why you're here." Pepper said, softly but matter of fact.

_You can't forget why you're here_. "I'll never forget why I'm here." I bit my lip and looked away, memories dancing before my eyes. Memories I wish I could forget.

"Fine," I snapped, turning back, "Whatever. I'm going back to bed."

And true to my word, I went back to bed, and I slept most of the day. Even when I was awake, I just laid there. What else did I have to do? I laid there till it sounded like my stomach was going to eat itself, and all the neighboring meat around it. I got up then, brushed my teeth, and changed into jeans and a tank top. I slid on a flannel shirt, before I made my way downstairs in search of something to eat.

True to their word, no one was home. I thought the house was empty when they _were_ there, but with them _not_ here... I shook my head, trying to shake off the chills. In the kitchen, I checked cupboards, pantries, and fridges, and there really wasn't much to eat. Sighing, I made myself a bowl of cereal and took it out to the livingroom. Sitting on the couch, I looked out the window at the fading sun and the endless ocean. It was a beautiful sight.

I took my bowl and spoon back to the kitchen and washed them in the sink. "Jarvis?" I asked suddenly, drying my bowl.

_Yes, Miss Potts? _

I shrugged. "Nothing. Just seeing if you were here."I finished up with the spoon and I put them back as they were before I came.

_I am always here, Miss Potts._

For some reason, that made me sad, but I ran from the thought like I do all that make me feel things I don't want to. I went back to the livingroom to watch the sun and ocean, to find that night had taken over and I could really only see the room's reflection in the mirror. I sighed, but a thought came to me.

"I can't _leave_ this place, right, Jarvis?" I suddenly addressed him again.

_Yes, Miss Potts._

"But the roof- that's part of the house. Going up there- that's not leaving, right?"

There was a pause, and I knew I had him.

_Yes, Miss Potts_. The way he said it, he almost sounded disappointed.

I smiled and made my way back to room. I opened my window and pulled myself out. I started to climb the side of the house. I was a woman of many talents. Not many people knew how hard I worked out and I was a black belt in nearly every kind of self-defense. I decided long ago I wasn't going to trust anyone to protect me when I could do it myself.

I found a nice little spot on the roof and I brought my knees to my chin, and sat there looking at the night sky. Stars and constellations were popping out little by little, but it all was rather dull with the lights from the city being so close. My family has a cabin miles and miles from any lights. The cabin itself didn't even have electricity, for a while, but my parents didn't like that. Soon enough it had flat screen TVs as wide as I am tall and a kitchen made for a restaurant and laptops in every room, wifi and Netflix and cable. Everything you could possibly think of in a cabin out in the middle of nowhere. And we only went there twice and it's lain empty for three years.

But I liked it. I liked the way it was before it was all rigged up. I was excited- I brought wax candles and lanterns with me. One night I even slept on the cold ground under the endless starred sky. That's what I liked about it most of all: it made me feel so small, that there was so much more out there. And I think that's what my parents hated most about it. They could own the world, but they could never reach the end of the universe. They could never know everything. No one could ever know everything.

And since that night sleeping under the stars, I could easily believe there was more out there. I always hoped it would be more like Doctor Who or Star Trek though, but instead we had an alien come and try to take over the world. Like we'd ever let that happen.

My thoughts stilled as my eyes searched the sky. True, it wasn't as bright or as many stars here, but it was still beautiful. It took me a moment to realize it, but a star was suddenly shining brighter than the rest. It got bigger and then you could see it streaking through the sky. It took my breath away.

Though it didn't just turn the other way or stop getting brighter. It looked like it was coming closer and closer, and it chilled me to the bone when I realized it was. A star- a meteor? I don't know what it was, but it was coming to earth. Right towards me.

Except not really. It built momentum and landed close, but what must have been a couple hundred miles off. I felt the impact even all the way over here.

And it called to me.

Maybe this would be my grand entrance in the Stark household.

Getting past Jarvis and sneaking out of the genius' house.

I slid back in my window and landed with a soft thud on the thick carpet. As far as I know, Jarvis couldn't read my thoughts, so that was the only place I was safe. I didn't pack a bag or even grab my purse. Nothing to set off whatever the heck Jarvis was. Not that I had any clue what I was going to do yet.

I knew Tony had a garage with a bunch of cars down a few flight of stairs. And that was where I was going to go. Though I didn't understand how Jarvis could lock me in being not real and all, but I'm sure it was something I couldn't think of. So what would I do if I couldn't open a door? I put a bobby pin from my dresser into my pocket. And if that fails? Well, there's windows everywhere. Get something to break it with. But what? I searched through all the closets and Jarvis wasn't saying anything to me, so I assumed I hadn't raised any suspicions. Then I found it. A baseball bat in the bottom of a closet in an upstairs hall.

_And may I ask what you are doing with that, Miss Potts?_

I finally got him, and it brought a grin to my face. "Gonna play some baseball." I stayed quiet till I went back into my room and slipped on my shoes. Then all hell broke loose. I found the garage and of course it was sealed by keypad. I laughed to myself, Tony Stark wouldn't have a door with something as simple as a lock.

_Miss Potts, you are not permitted in this area. _He said this and I imagined alarm in his voice. My grin widened as I brought back the bat and smashed it against the glass window beside the door.

"_You can't forget why you're here_," Pepper's voice rang through my mind. Nope, I can't, but these moments of pure adrenaline is what makes life worth living.

Stealing Tony Stark's car was easier than I thought it would be. Jarvis was yelling threats to me left and right, and I knew by now Tony was probably somewhat aware of what was going on. So I choose a black Impala that reminded me of Dean Winchester's baby, and I hit the gas.

I aimed for the garage door, planning to drive through it, but Jarvis alerted me it was reinforced and I'd kill myself trying to drive through it. And knowing he was my babysitter and couldn't let anything happen to me, I didn't let my foot off the pedal. I actually didn't know this, but assumed it in my adrenaline high, but thankfully it must have been true because at the last moment the garage door opened and I was driving on a curvy driveway, soon pulling out on the open road.

I drove in near silence, nothing but the engine purring at me. My thoughts were amazingly calm and focused on my target. I stopped once to locate myself and it was smooth sailing after that.

I ended up at the beach, and by the time I got there, a crowd had formed and men in black suits were trying to get everyone to leave. I pushed my way to the front, where the police tape was, and I couldn't ever imagine talking- or breathing for that matter! - ever again.

For there was a mighty hole and the waves in that area of the beach fell into it like a waterfall.

The men in black (and for a moment in this whole insanity, I wondered if they were _actually_ the Men in Black) had us back up and asked if we would leave. Other people were causing trouble, but not me, not today. I backed away from the crowd with my mind completely blown.

And unfortunately, I didn't feel like I found what I was called to. I got back in the Impala and I drove a couple miles south, then parked again where the stretch of beach was completely empty, and was so for miles. I left my shoes in the passenger seat and I walked along the shore, waves nipping my feet.

Then I heard a cry of pain, and I thought I must have imagined it, but then I heard it again.

And now comes the part that I wish I could come back in time and change. Holding my breath, I walked to the only part of beach that wasn't just sand or water: the brush you walk through to get there. I saw him, barely hidden there. I saw him.

Loki.


	4. Chapter 3

**I hope y'all had a happy Thanksgiving, a nice weekend, and all that good stuff! I did- seafood buffets, dying my hair blonde, Christmas shopping, working in my church's nursery, haircut, using fondant for the first time, accepting I'm turning 20 this Friday... it's been pretty eventful for me! :P**

**And yeah, most likely the next time I write to you... I won't be a teenager anymore. Like officially. It's freaking me out, man. Anyways! Next chapter! I finally get to write Loki! I'm so excited! Here we go!**

CHAPTER THREE

I held my breath, truly terrified to breath- to move, to even think.

Loki lifted his head and looked at me, wincing as he did so. He bit his lip as to not cry out in pain and fresh blood suddenly flowed from his mouth, adding the dried covering his face.

"You can see me, can't you?" Loki hissed at me, an angry whisper clashing against the calm waves behind me, like it was my fault I could. Like it was my fault he was laying there, covered in blood. That his body looked like one big bruise and just moving his head made him want to cry.

But I nodded, my tongue a useless lump in my mouth and my brain a disgusting pile of mush in my head. I just couldn't fathom that Loki, the trickster god of mischief, was so broken on the inside that small movement hurt him so much he accidentally made himself bleed. I just couldn't. Though I knew I needed to.

I took a shaky breath, as images of a plan flashed before my eyes. "You need to get out of here." I stated, rather stupidly.

"How? With you?" Loki snorted cruelly, but immediately gasped in pain, clenching his fingers into fists. He even had to take a moment to breath normally again and that lessened the impact of the insult I'm sure he had wanted.

"I don't see anyone else... but I _did_ see Shield a couple miles back down the beach. And _Loki_, you don't know me, but I do know _you_. I would be careful on who you try to piss off." I said with as much hatred he was giving me.

"You're just a stupid girl. Midguardian at that. There's nothing about you that's even worth the idea of this conversation." He spat at me, blood spraying the air, but again, I saw how his whole body screamed in pain and he looked away, a low groan escaping him.

"And you're just a stubborn douche. Wannabe god. There's nothing about you that's worth what I'm offering, but I'm offering anyway." I leaned in and hissed back at him. "I'm not just a girl- not just a stupid girl even. I'm not just 'Midguardian'. I'm not anything you've ever met. I'm a girl but I want to rise. I want to be above my sister. Like you're a prince, but you want to be a king, and you want to rise above your brother. And I can get you there."

He laughed softly then, and I looked away to not see his grimace that was sure to follow. When I turned back, he still had a faint smile on his face. "Well, you're right. You do know me."

Loki held my eyes for a moment, and all was silent, but the waves crashing in the background.

"I can kill you, easy. Whenever I want. It'll most likely happen." Loki finally informed me, and I knew I had him. He took a few shuddering breaths, but as I've done this whole time, I ignored it.

I grinned wide and replied sarcastically, "I'm so sure. But I'll have you know I ain't going down without a fight, and I'm a good fight."

"I'm still not fully convinced me you're not just some stupid girl." I couldn't even focus this time on the pain he was in.

"But I will." I paused, checking the time on my phone, "We need to hit the road. You've got Shield on your butt and I'm gonna have Iron Man on mine."

"You've managed to piss off Iron Man? Maybe this will work out after all."

I snorted, but I made my way closer to Loki, dreading this next part. "So. I think this is going to hurt. Really, really bad." I announced, unhelpfully, prolonging the inevitable.

"You know what, I was thinking the _same thing_!" Loki widened his eyes in false surprised, and then I winced when he did. This close it was even worse to see him hurt.

I squatted down, with him on my right. "All right. My car- or well, Tony's car- ain't that far away. Just past these brushes. Put your arm around my shoulders and we'll get there." I took a second, then added, "Somehow."

"You make me feel so assured." Loki deadpanned, but flung his arm around my shoulders as I said. I stood up, with practically all his weight on me, took a few steps, and in the soft, uneven sand, went down nearly immediately.

Warm blood dripped down my chest and I shivered. "Sorry." I whispered and got back up again. I took a few more steps, but this was harder than I could ever imagine, and the end result was me half-crawling/half-dragging Loki to the backseat of my car. I reopened up all his dried wounds and I was nearly as covered in blood as he was by the end of it.

Pushing him in the backseat made me feel relief I've never known. Before getting the driver's seat, I took a second and yanked off my flannel shirt. I wiped as much of the blood off my chest and arms and just really all over. I threw the dirty flannel in the passenger and in a blur we were flying down the interstate.

The car was quiet, except the sound of Loki's rattling breaths and my new baby's purring engine.

"So, uhh- so, uh, what happened?" I asked nervously. My puny human mind couldn't come up with anything that could cause him so much pain, and it scared me senseless.

"You don't want to know." Loki's voice was quiet, trying to stay as still as possible.

"... Yeah, I do." No, I really didn't, but I felt like I needed to know.

"No, you don't."

"I do!"

"Well, you're not going to."

"I think I need to know!"

"You really don't."

"Who gives you the right to decide what I need or don't need? You don't even know me! Like at all." I bursted out, suddenly angry. Really, what gave him the freaking right?

"Just... shut up, girl! What a nuisance." I heard him moan from the backseat.

"You still don't know my name."

"Does it really matter?" Loki sighed, loudly.

"I'm Amelia." I stated, thinking he was the nuisance.

"And who's your sister you're so desperately trying to beat?" He asked, resigned.

"Pepper Potts. Iron Man's girlfriend." I answered, softening back up.

"Ah. And this is his car. I'm starting to see how you pissed him off."

"I also broke his glass walls with a baseball bat to get into his garage and forced his smart house to open the garage doors so I wouldn't drive in them and kill myself." I smiled at myself, a hint of pride in my voice.

"Impressive." Loki said sarcastically, but I was sure he believed what he said. "Now I know everything about you."

"What? No."

"Don't I? I'm your ultimate revenge. Work with me and you'll be above your sister. I'm practically her enemy as much as Stark. If she's anything like him, and they must have _something_ in common, she can't do wrong and because of that, conceited, and gets everything in life handed to her. While you work and deserve what she just gets, but you can never achieve her status in their eyes." His voice was so full of bitterness; I knew he knew how I felt.

"You've pretty much nailed it."

"Your story is easy, like a bad written book."

"I do take care to remind you, our stories aren't that different!" I exclaimed indignantly.

"No, they're nothing alike." Loki replied, suddenly sounding old and tired.

I paused to think. "You're right. My life looks like a bad written book, but because I've got pages that have been locked in a coffin and buried in a grave, and I'm taking them to mine. So it looks like, 'Oh why is she doing this? It makes no sense, that doesn't flow', but I didn't let those forbidden pages make the cut, so people think that," I said thoughtfully, and then I shook my head. This was getting too deep for me.

"Anyways!" I started before Loki could say anymore, "I'm sick of comparing my life to a book. Change o' subject."

"How about you stop talking? Every breath is like I'm being shot repeatedly with an arrow in the chest and I'm sure at least one of my lungs have erupted. Not to mention just blinking my eyes causes me such unbearable agony and just the thought of-"

"Shouldn't I be taking you to the hospital then?" I asked, wondering where the closest one was. Then wondering where we were exactly now.

"No. I'll heal in a couple weeks. My... employers have made sure of it." Loki answered with hesitancy. My ears perked up at _employers_, but he hastily added, "Shut up. No talking."

I pulled over on the side of the road, knowing it's silly to try to do something else while driving, and I was excited to see the rigged up stereo. I quickly found a country station and internally fangirled when Begin Again by Taylor Swift came through the speakers.

"Well then, I'm going to introduce you to the best Midguard music around. This, my dear new friend, is Taylor Swift." I announced and I didn't say a word for another couple hours. I was figuring he liked it too, because he didn't say anything about it either.

It was about 4 in the morning when my vision blurred and my eyelids turned to lead, drooping dangerously, and I decided I wasn't going to kill myself, or anyone else, by falling asleep and running into another car. Or a tree. Loki had long been sleeping, which surprised me, so he wasn't going to be much help. I pulled off at the next exit, seeing a sign for a motel.

I was so happy to stop and park, but then I looked in my rearview mirrow and realized not only would I have to wake Loki up, we'd go through that whole half-crawling/half-dragging thing that happened at the beach. But I'd have to do it.

I turned in my seat, facing Loki. "Hey. Wake up._ Loki_." His eyes popped and slid towards me. "Heeey, sleeping beauty." I laughed, then added, "I'm about to pass out, and seeing you're in no condition to drive, we're at a motel. Okay?" I didn't know why I made it a question, but thankfully he said fine, and I quickly got out of the car, and walked into the lobby.

The man at the desk started to check me out, but then his eyes widened quick at my chest. I looked down, remembering I was covered in Loki's blood.

"Nosebleed." I hastily explained, "Do you have a room? Two beds."

"My brother use to have bad nosebleeds. He grew out of them. Name?" He asked me.

"Oh, maybe there's hope for me then. Amelia," I fake smiled, I hated small talk, then remembered I was on the run. People would be looking for me, "Amelia..." I looked around frantically, thinking of a last name. My eyes landed on fake tree in the corner of the lobby. "Tree... son. Amelia Treeson." I cringed inwardly at my made up name. Treeson? Really? My whole life not wanting to be a Potts, and I couldn't thought of anything better?

The man told me a price and I handed over what cash I had in pocket, and miraculously it was a little more than enough.

"Here you are, Ms. Treeson." He said, handing me the keycard. "Room 13."

"Thanks." I replied, and walked back to the car, thinking I needed more money. At the bank near my house, they would give me money without any id, but anywhere else... and I finally figured out a piece of the plan. Go to Virginia. Though I didn't know what state I was currently in... Before I left the lobby, I glanced at the pamphlet wall, and saw info packets on the Grand Canyon and a book full of coupons. Arizona. Great.

Getting Loki in the room and on the bed was easier than I expected, though truthfully, I barely remember it. I plopped him down and fell into my bed two feet over. Shoes, bloody shirt, and all. I hadn't even bothered to turn on the lights, but I was out like one.

Thankfully, because I didn't get a chance to think about what the heck I was about to do, and if I'd had, I'd probably never sleep again.


End file.
